Is this the same as Rakt Chandan/Adenanthera pavonina?

No — the name overlaps in casual use, but true red sandalwood is Pterocarpus santalinus; Adenanthera pavonina is a different, unrelated tree sometimes called by a similar name in some regions.

Its native range is naturally small (mainly parts of Andhra Pradesh), and decades of illegal logging for its valuable red heartwood have made strict protection and export controls necessary.

Three leaflets
As recorded for Lal Chandan

✿Fabaceae · Pterocarpus

Pterocarpus santalinus

Lal Chandan / Indian Red Wood लाल चंदन

Hindi name · See all regional names ↓

Also known as Red Sanders, Red Sandalwood

Native in Indian regions · Kew WCVPTreeMedicinal

Habit: Tree
Found in India: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & more
Flowering: April-June; Fruit till February

Identify this plant with SASYA

One plant. Many familiar names.

Lal Chandan in regional languages

Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.

Recorded regional names for Lal Chandan
Language	Regional script	Recorded Latin spelling
Hindi	लाल चंदन · रक्तचंदन	Lal chandan, Raktachandan, Lal Chandan
Nepali	रक्तचन्दन	Not recorded
Tamil	செஞ்சந்தனம்	Semmaram, Sivappuchandanam
Telugu	ఎర్రచందనం · ఎర్ర చందనం	Yerrachandanam
Kannada	ರಕ್ತಚಂದನ	Kempujandha, Raktashandana
Malayalam	രക്തചന്ദനമ്	Chenchandanam, Rakthachandanam
Marathi	रक्तचंदन	Ratanjan
Sanskrit	Not recorded	Agarujandha, Arka, Chandana, Harichandana
Gujarati	Not recorded	Ratanjali

See the original recorded names

Hindi: लाल चंदन Lal chandan, रक्तचंदन Raktachandan, Lal Chandan, Raktachandan
Nepali: रक्तचन्दन
Tamil: Semmaram, Sivappuchandanam, செஞ்சந்தனம்
Telugu: Yerrachandanam, ఎర్రచందనం, ఎర్ర చందనం
Kannada: Kempujandha, Raktashandana, ರಕ್ತಚಂದನ
Malayalam: Chenchandanam, രക്തചന്ദനമ് Rakthachandanam, Rakthachandanam
Marathi: Ratanjan, रक्तचंदन
Sanskrit: Agarujandha, Arka, Chandana, Harichandana
Gujarati: Ratanjali

Ecology & growing context

Native status · Kew WCVP: WCVP native range includes India Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: S. India.
Recorded habitat: Deciduous forests, also planted
Explore nearby plants: Tamil Nadu →Andhra Pradesh →Telangana →

Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.

How to identify Lal Chandan

Identify Lal Chandan by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.

Look for a tree habit.
Check the distinctive field mark: Valuable red sandalwood-like heartwood.
Confirm leaf arrangement: Alternate.
Confirm leaf type: Trifoliate.
Confirm flower colour: Yellow.
Confirm flower arrangement: Raceme.
In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: April-June; Fruit till February.

Plant Details

Scientific name: Pterocarpus santalinus
Genus: Pterocarpus
Family: Fabaceae
Habit: Tree
Habitat: Deciduous forests, also planted
Habitat type: Forest, Cultivated
Native to: India
Distribution: India
Found in India: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
Flowering & fruiting: April-June; Fruit till February
Conservation status: Endangered (EN)

Leaf characters

Leaf arrangement: AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.“The leaves are alternate, 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long, trifoliate with three leaflets.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf type: TrifoliaterecordedA compound leaf made of exactly three leaflets.“The leaves are alternate, 3–9 cm (1.2–3.5 in) long, trifoliate with three leaflets.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded

Typical of the family

Margin: Entire
Venation: Pinnate

Characters marked “recorded” are for Lal Chandan itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower colour: Yellowrecorded
Flower arrangement: RacemerecordedIndividual stalked flowers arranged along a central stem, opening from bottom to top.“The flowers are produced in short racemes.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fruit type: LegumerecordedA dry pod that splits open along two seams (typical of the pea/bean family).“The fruit is a pod 6–9 cm (2.4–3.5 in) long containing one or two seeds.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Typical of the family

Flower symmetry: Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
Inflorescence: Raceme
Fruit: Legume

Characters marked “recorded” are for Lal Chandan itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only.

Lal Chandan in India

This slow-growing tree, known as लाल चंदन Lal chandan (Hindi), Semmaram (Tamil), Yerrachandanam (Telugu), Kempujandha (Kannada), Chenchandanam (Malayalam), Ratanjan (Marathi), produces one of the world's most valuable and tightly protected timbers. Pterocarpus santalinus is found across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, mainly in a small native range in Andhra Pradesh.

Uses

Its dense, deep red heartwood is highly prized for carving, musical instruments and traditional medicine systems in other countries, but the species is protected and its harvest and export are tightly restricted due to a long history of illegal logging.

How to Identify Lal Chandan

A small to medium deciduous tree with pinnately compound leaves made of a few rounded leaflets. Small yellow pea-like flowers appear in loose clusters, followed by flat, rounded, winged pods. The tree is far more often identified by its distinctive dark red heartwood than its modest foliage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Indian Red wood called in different Indian languages?: लाल चंदन Lal chandan (Hindi); Semmaram (Tamil); Yerrachandanam (Telugu); Kempujandha (Kannada); Chenchandanam (Malayalam); Ratanjan (Marathi); Ratanjali (Gujarati); Agarujandha (Sanskrit).
Is this the same as Rakt Chandan/Adenanthera pavonina?: No — the name overlaps in casual use, but true red sandalwood is Pterocarpus santalinus; Adenanthera pavonina is a different, unrelated tree sometimes called by a similar name in some regions.
Why is it protected?: Its native range is naturally small (mainly parts of Andhra Pradesh), and decades of illegal logging for its valuable red heartwood have made strict protection and export controls necessary.

Botanical family

Fabaceae

Legume/Bean family

Lal Chandan belongs to the Fabaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Common plant problems

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More in Fabaceae

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Sources: GBIF — Pterocarpus santalinus (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Pterocarpus santalinus (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)